Election map dispute ends with secretary of state reversing his directive
By Argus Staff
The Missouri Supreme Court found Secretary of State Denny Hoskins in contempt Thursday after he directed local election officials to use the state’s disputed 2025 congressional map in the November general election.
Hoskins issued the directive despite an earlier Missouri Supreme Court ruling that the redrawn districts could not take effect unless approved by voters. The court ordered the congressional boundaries used in the 2022 and 2024 elections to remain in place for November. A conflicting federal court ruling, however, had instructed Hoskins to implement the newer map, leaving election officials caught between competing judicial orders.
Chief Justice W. Brent Powell announced the contempt finding but said Hoskins had purged the violation by reversing his instructions. Following the contempt hearing, Hoskins notified the court that he had directed local officials to return to the previous congressional boundaries.
The change came after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to allow the Republican-backed map to be used in November, clearing the way for Missouri to conduct the election under its earlier districts. The disputed map would have significantly altered Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-based district.
Although Hoskins avoided further contempt sanctions by complying, the episode raises serious concerns about election administration, respect for judicial authority and the confusion imposed on local officials and voters. Election directives must be timely, consistent and grounded in settled law, particularly as ballot deadlines approach.
Source: Associated Press reporting, September 10, 2026
